Un de Sceaux can give me a winning return
I’m absolutely raring to go and obviously hoping to make the ideal return and guide Willie Mullins’ horse to another success on his native soil.
Un de Sceaux, of course, won at Auteuil late last month and this is basically the same race again, over the same trip, two miles, three and a half furlongs.
I rode out for my dad last Monday morning, before heading to Fairyhouse later on for the Irish Grand National. Then on Tuesday, I was at Willie’s and rode four lots, including On His Own and Boston Bob.
I was back at Willie’s on Thursday and, this time, didn’t half put myself to the sword. I rode four horses, that can be best described as free, and came through with flying colours.
I was on Blood Cotil and Twinlight, who can be free in their races, and also had a sit on Champagne Fever and Djakadam. You wouldn’t regard Champagne Fever and Djakadam as free on the track, but they are at home, when going more slowly than they would in a race.
Anyway, Un de Sceaux and whether we can get it just right today. My plan will be to contain the horse somewhat, especially down the back.
I am not going to attempt to ask him to travel much slower than he normally would, no we are talking fractions here.
The idea will be to try and get it right at all stages, so that Un de Sceaux will have sufficient left to withstand the likely late challenge of Gemix. And that is my challenge, to get the fractions through the race exactly spot-on. You could probably say it is maths on horseback!
It is a very quiet weekend here at home for Willie, the proverbial calm before the storm.
He has just one runner, Vedettariat, in the bumper at Limerick tomorrow. His last outing was on this track when he could hardly have been more disappointing in finishing only seventh.
He really is a puzzling horse. I’ve seen him work at home of late and have no doubt he has the ability to win a contest such as this.
If everything goes according to plan today, then it will be all guns blazing for next week at Punchestown.
I have some hugely high-profile rides, headed by the dual champion hurdler, Hurricane Fly.
Paul Townend, as usual, has been riding him in all of his work and the horse is certainly bright and perky.
But he does have plenty to find with the current champion, Jezki, so the question is can Hurricane beat him over a track he loves?
I’m particularly looking forward to Vatour, who was brilliant at Cheltenham and a cracking horse.
Cheltenham was made for him, and probably suited better than Punchestown will, but he’s four four from four and it will take a good one to beat him.
Another Cheltenham hero, Faugheen, is in mighty oprder. John Codd, who rides him out and loooks after the horse, is more than happy.
I’d imagine Quevega will head for the Stayers’ Hurdle, again, but this is shaping like a tidy contest, so it will be interesting.
Champagne Fever seems to be in great order and I’d say will turn up over two miles in the Ryanair Chase on Thursday.
And then there is the choice I am going to have to make that is keeping me awake at night, On His Own or Boston Bob in the Gold Cup on Wednesday.
As I told you I had a spin on both of them on Tuesday and they went equally well, leaving me none the wiser as to the way to go.
I intend to walk the track at Punchestown tomorrow, see what the ground is like, then take the weather into account and arrive at a conclusion. In any case more about all of those horses, and many more, throughout next week here.
Next Saturday at Punchestown will see the 25th running of a charity race in aid of Irish kidney research. It will mark the 10th anniversary of Diageo (Ireland’s) involvement.
One of the people who will ride in the race is a man called Eoghan O’Neill. He suffered a stroke, had kidney failure and was then on dialysis.
That was followed by a kidney transplant, but last year he failed to pass the test at RACE and wasn’t granted a licence.
But, undaunted, he has been riding out for a long time now and this time did pass the test and has been granted a licence. I think there is great credit due to Dr Adrian McGoldrick, the Turf Club medical officer, and to the Turf Club.
But O’Neill has to be regarded as a hero. There are those who think National Hunt jockeys are iron men, but this guy puts us all in the shade.
And a word to all the Munster fans going through Paris today. Get the price of your trip on the PMU in the coffee bars with Un de Sceaux and just leave a few quid at the airport for Ruby!
